Daily Meditations
Read today’s Just for Today or A Spiritual Principle A Day readings.
Just for Today
August 27, 2026 |
Choosing life |
| Page 249 |
| "Change from self-destructive patterns of life became necessary." |
| Basic Text, p. 15 |
| Active addiction is a smoldering death-wish. Each of us courted death every time we used. Our lifestyles, too, put us at risk. The life of an addict is sold cheaply with every day and every dose. In recovery, the first pattern we change is the pattern of using. Staying clean is the start of our journey into life. But our self-destructive behavior usually went far deeper than just our using. Even in recovery, we may still treat ourselves as if we are worthless. When we treat ourselves badly, we feel badly. And when we feel badly, we seek relief--maybe even in our old solution, drugs. Choosing recovery means choosing life. We decide each day that we want to live and be free. Each time we avoid self-destructive behavior, we choose recovery. |
| Just for Today: I will choose life by choosing recovery. I will take care of myself. |
A Spiritual Principle a Day
August 27, 2026 |
Discernment and Autonomy |
| Page 247 |
| "As we mature in recovery, we learn to exercise sound judgment in how we make decisions, place our trust, and meet our responsibilities." |
| Guiding Principles, Tradition Four, Opening Essay |
| Stepwork, living clean, and the passage of time bring the gift of maturity to NA members. We gather practical experience as we take on various roles in NA--as home-group members, sponsors, and trusted servants. Each allows us to grapple with the meaning and application of the Traditions in real-life contexts and become more skilled at discernment as we do. We grasp how each Tradition works individually and discern how the tension between them creates balance. For example, Tradition Four's assertion that "each group should be autonomous" makes it a favorite, especially when we want to validate any unconventional means of fulfilling our primary purpose. The Tradition doesn't stop there--unless we're trying to manipulate--and what follows provides some pretty clear instructions about the limits to autonomy: "except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole." The other eleven Traditions point to the kinds of things that threaten to do just that. Being mature and responsible members of NA--or at least aspiring to be--we lean into discernment to sort out whether or not expressions of autonomy are in harmony with the principles of the other Traditions. To make sound decisions, we invite a loving Higher Power to influence our group conscience, as Tradition Two suggests. NA groups and communities arrive at group conscience by different paths, but we share some common markers: We come together in unity, we honor and include multiple perspectives, and we create space for honest and open communication. When we listen for the will of a loving God, we are practicing discernment. It pays off as we find a spiritual way forward, enlist trustworthy members to serve, and meet our responsibilities to provide them with the resources and support they need to carry out the work. |
| ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— |
| I will review my personal decision-making process and be more discerning about how I contribute to shaping my group's conscience. Sound judgment--my own and my group's--is a worthy goal. |